As the biggest clubs in Europe kick off yet another busy summer, theScore looks at one player each side should be targeting in the transfer window.

Premier League

Arsenal: Pedro Goncalves. Among many other things, the Gunners need an injection of creativity in midfield, especially if they can’t bring Martin Odegaard back after his loan spell. Having already missed out on Emi Buendia this summer, Mikel Arteta and Co. have to start locking in some reinforcements to recover from another disappointing campaign.

Goncalves, 22, was the driving force behind Sporting CP’s title win this past season, scoring 23 league goals as the Lisbon-based club ended its nearly two-decade-long drought.

Chelsea: Erling Haaland. Yes, this is a bit of a cop-out since the Norwegian star would be perfect for just about anyone, but Chelsea’s need for more punch up front is painfully obvious; Jorginho was their leading scorer in the Premier League last season with seven tallies, all from the penalty spot.

“We need more goals,” Thomas Tuchel admitted in May, adding that his forwards’ output is “clearly not enough.” Beating the continent’s other top sides to Haaland’s signature would also free Timo Werner to revert to his more comfortable role playing with a central striker. Two birds with this one.

Liverpool: Renato Sanches. Georginio Wijnaldum’s departure on a free transfer leaves a big hole in Jurgen Klopp’s midfield. The Dutchman, an energetic cog that did a little bit of everything for the Reds, never made fewer than 33 league appearances in his five seasons at Anfield.

Sanches, back to his vibrant best at Lille after his young career stagnated for a couple of seasons, offers the type of all-action presence Klopp loves and would complement Liverpool’s current collection of midfielders. Still just 23, Sanches would also have an opportunity to keep developing.

Manchester City: Harry Kane. Whether Daniel Levy will budge at all in his mammoth valuation of Kane remains to be seen; the Tottenham executive is a notoriously tough negotiator, and Manchester City, despite spending a lot of money cumulatively, don’t tend to break the bank for one player.

That said, the England captain would clearly be a fantastic fit in Pep Guardiola’s lineup. Aside from the simple fact that a bona fide No. 9 is the team’s only glaring need – especially after Sergio Aguero’s departure – Kane’s playmaking ability would, in theory, mesh wonderfully with the fluid style Guardiola has implemented.

Manchester United: Pau Torres. Rumors about Jadon Sancho continue to swirl, but Manchester United must cement their center-back partnership if they’re to become legitimate title contenders once again. Victor Lindelof is a fine depth piece, but nothing more. Eric Bailly can’t stay fit long enough to solidify his place in the team. Harry Maguire needs a running mate.

Enter Torres, the blossoming Villarreal defender who is only 24 years old and offers the added benefit of being left-footed. The Spanish international is destined for a big move, and the Red Devils would be wise to make sure Old Trafford is the destination.

Tottenham Hotspur: Marcus Thuram. Everything depends on Harry Kane’s future. If the Tottenham talisman gets his desired transfer, Spurs obviously need to bring in another forward. There are other areas to address, but losing the Englishman’s 37 Premier League goal involvements without signing someone to help fill that void would be a nightmare.

Thuram wouldn’t be able to carry that burden all on his own, but his impressive stint at Borussia Monchengladbach, where he’s scored 25 goals across all competitions in the last two seasons, has caught Tottenham’s eye. The 23-year-old Frenchman continues to grow and could be an ideal attacking partner for Heung-Min Son.

La Liga

Atletico Madrid: Rodrigo De Paul. Rumors continue to circulate about the potential exit of Saul Niguez, and De Paul has been tipped as an ideal successor to the Spanish international. It’s easy to see why. The Udinese star brings plenty of skill and incisiveness to the midfield, and he has the type of edge necessary to thrive under Diego Simeone.

After honing his craft at Udinese since 2016, it feels like the right time for the Argentine to take the next step in his career.

Barcelona: Memphis Depay. Barcelona have been one of the busiest teams in the transfer market thus far, bringing in Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia on free transfers from Manchester City and recalling Emerson from his loan spell at Real Betis. Bringing players in without putting money down on a transfer fee is the name of the game for cash-poor Barca this summer.

Depay, then, ticks all the boxes. He’s a free agent, is coming off an excellent campaign with Lyon, has an existing relationship with Ronald Koeman, and, crucially, isn’t over the hill. That’s more than can be said of some of the club’s signings in recent years.

Real Madrid: Jules Kounde. The circus surrounding defensive stalwart Sergio Ramos continues. The veteran Spaniard would apparently like to sign a new contract and remain at the club, but Real Madrid haven’t tabled an offer. There are suggestions that Raphael Varane could be on the move, too.

Losing either would be a big blow, but the club could soften that impact by adding Kounde, who looks destined to be a superstar for many years to come. The 22-year-old Sevilla defender won’t come cheap, but Madrid could try to sweeten the pot with any number of players they’re ready to ship away.

Serie A

AC Milan: Dusan Vlahovic. Zlatan Ibrahimovic won’t be leading the line forever. Milan must keep planning for the post-Zlatan world, which could – and perhaps should – come at the end of next season. Instead of waiting until the influential Swede decides to move on, the Rossoneri need to be proactive and act now.

Vlahovic, who just delivered an eye-popping campaign at Fiorentina, offers the perfect blend of physicality and technique – not to mention quickness – that could slot perfectly into Stefano Pioli’s side without causing a disruption or forcing a change in approach. The 21-year-old Serbian won’t be available for long.

Inter Milan: Manuel Lazzari. Inter are expected to offload at least one key contributor this summer, and the exhilarating Achraf Hakimi – whom we’ll get to shortly – appears the most likely candidate. New coach Simone Inzaghi likes to utilize wing-backs in much the same way Antonio Conte did, so the position will remain a focal point for the Nerazzurri.

Lazzari, whose blistering pace down the right flank has been crucial to Lazio’s success in recent seasons, is the tailor-made replacement for Hakimi. The Italian could be tempted to follow Inzaghi to Milan after the two forged a relationship.

Juventus: Manuel Locatelli. It’s no secret Juventus’ midfield is crying out for some help. Returning manager Massimiliano Allegri needs to rebuild that group if he’s to lift the Old Lady back to the Serie A summit; the need for significant investment in that area of the pitch is glaring.

Several players have been linked with a switch to Turin, but Locatelli makes the most sense for several reasons. The 23-year-old Sassuolo standout shines in multiple midfield roles and would provide the club with a young Italian talent to market and build around.

Bundesliga

Bayern Munich: Eduardo Camavinga. Bayern Munich are continually refurbishing and making moves with the club’s long-term health and sustainability in mind; there’s a reason the Bavarians have won nine consecutive Bundesliga titles and show no signs of tripping up. In a sport in which so many top clubs are financially mismanaged, Bayern continue to thrive.

In keeping with that ethos, Camavinga stands out as the clear choice. The French midfielder, 18, would have the opportunity to grow steadily under the tutelage of the club’s current stars, offering depth in the immediate term and world-class potential in the long run.

Borussia Dortmund: Donyell Malen. If Jadon Sancho does indeed depart this summer, expect Dortmund to stick with their tried and true model by snapping up a young replacement who can fetch a mammoth transfer fee at some point down the road. Their modus operandi works.

Malen fits that bill. The 22-year-old Dutchman is a versatile forward and could be available for a reasonable fee in today’s depressed transfer market. An impressive showing with the Netherlands at Euro 2020 could inflate his value, though; if Dortmund haven’t already started talks with PSV Eindhoven, they’d better get moving.

Ligue 1

Paris Saint-Germain: Achraf Hakimi. For all their absurd riches, Paris Saint-Germain started on-loan Alessandro Florenzi, youngster Mitchel Bakker, and the underwhelming Abdou Diallo at full-back over two legs in their Champions League semifinal defeat to Manchester City. Injuries forced their hand somewhat, but that cast simply isn’t good enough.

Whether Hakimi’s arrival would force a change of system is a worthwhile debate; the flying Moroccan excels in a wing-back role. But whenever a talent of his caliber is available, suitors should move quickly.

Twenty First Group’s London office is like any other office, really. Baked goods are the centerpiece of meetings and the water-cooler chat is reminiscent of cliched television scenes.

Except there’s one clear distinction: Twenty First Group’s soccer department is making decisions that can decide title races and determine relegation battles.

The company has worked with Ajax, Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City, and numerous other leading clubs across Europe and North America, helping them uncover market inefficiencies through its interpretation of statistics. And now, while the coronavirus pandemic continues to drain clubs’ finances, there’s even less room for error in recruitment.

“Some players are systemically overlooked because of their size, the way they run, the way they play, certain perceptions about them,” Omar Chaudhuri, Twenty First Group’s chief intelligence officer, told theScore, adding, “It’s an opportunity for smart clubs to cut through that, understand what the important things are, and recruit against the grain.”

Trends have long dictated the transfer market. Chaudhuri noted the average height of top-level footballers dropped in the years after the technical teams of Barcelona and Spain rose to prominence around the turn of the last decade. Wing-backs also soared in popularity when Antonio Conte steered Chelsea to the Premier League title in the 2016-17 season with a 3-4-3 formation.

Presumptions influence moves as well. For example, newly promoted teams are often said to benefit from signing top-level experience, but Chaudhuri’s research found that these older heads neither increase nor decrease a club’s chances of survival – and you often pay a premium for such players.

“The use of data can be as much about flipping conventional thinking on its head, or at least challenging it and trying to find out the truth because, ultimately, if you can do that, then you’ve got a chance of success,” Chaudhuri said.

Accelerating progress

One of Twenty First Group’s most unique projects is its partnership with the Canadian Premier League (CPL), Canada’s only professional soccer league, which began in 2019. The CPL revealed its collaboration with Twenty First Group in January 2020 before COVID-19 recalibrated ambitions in its second year.

The arrangement is designed to improve the CPL’s transfer practices and, in turn, expedite its growth.

“I think the big downside in that first year was the quality of the international players who played in that league,” Chaudhuri admitted. “It was generally older players who weren’t really raising the level of the league, certainly compared to the Canadians that were in the league, so they took a decision to centralize some elements of international recruitment.”

In-person scouting is a bonus for CPL clubs. Limited time and resources meant Jeff Paulus took in just one scouting trip – to Detroit – in over two years as FC Edmonton’s head coach, with much of his recruitment based on analyzing videos of players. And naturally, with the young league’s network not stretching too far beyond its head coaches’ contact lists, the CPL was fishing in a shallow player pool.

CPL director of football Oliver Gage is excited that, with Twenty First Group’s extensive database, the league’s teams can now find value in the less-farmed areas of football’s landscape.

“A perfect example is going and getting a guy playing in the (fifth tier) in England. It might cost you twice as much as someone from the Portuguese third division even though the level of play might be similar,” Gage said.

“So, what markets can you go looking for players where you might get more bang for your buck even though the level of player is very similar?”

The data acts as another level of due diligence on a player, Gage explained, and goes some way in compensating for the lack of old-school scouting. There’s also a focus to bring in players who are yet to fulfill their potential.

“If you’re signing CPL-level players at 21, 22, then they’re going to improve over the three or four years they’re with us and, therefore, the level of play in the CPL improves,” Gage said. “Even if you aren’t selling these players, as they grow and develop, they’re improving the level of play within the league.”

CPL clubs are capped at seven international players on their roster, and Gage revealed that four of them need to be approved by Twenty First Group. There are two ways to gain Twenty First Group’s approval: when a team is interested in a player and the database corroborates its findings; and when the league itself gets involved with its clubs’ transactions.

“We in the league office actively go and find players and present them for our clubs,” Gage said. “(We) say, ‘We’ve found this player. We think he ticks all the right boxes, we’ve negotiated a lot of the finances, it’s 95% of the way there. If you want to pull the trigger and sign this player, here are all the details you need, and he’s available to you.'”

The CPL additionally has a domestic scouting department that watches matches and crunches numbers from the smaller provincial leagues. It’ll then stage showcase games for coaches to attend and assess the country’s best part-time players.

For the CPL, the pandemic doesn’t need to put progress on hold. Gage describes his department as an “advisory group” that can use statistics to demonstrate ways for CPL clubs to improve in the transfer market or refine their on-pitch tactics.

That process is likely to continue until the clubs are strong enough to stand on their own two feet.

“I always joke, my job is to have the league build so it’s so robust that I don’t have a job anymore because I’m not needed,” Gage said. “That’s the reality of it.”

The future

Chaudhuri is keen to stress that, while data adds objectivity, numbers in football “are meaningless without context.” He finds many of the stats used in the media – such as possession and the distance a player has run – reflect a team’s style of play rather than its actual quality. Clubs must be able to differentiate between style and quality, and learn how to apply the numbers to their own team, to have more hits than misses when purchasing players.

FC Midtjylland – a Danish club owned by Matthew Benham, the professional gambler who bankrolls Premier League newcomers Brentford – are more aware of this than most. Nearly every single aspect of the club’s operations is condensed into numbers, including training sessions, meals, and a recruitment strategy that’s become the envy of clubs across the world.

Midtjylland are undeterred when other sides imitate their methods, and they intend to remain at the forefront of data innovation. Sporting director Svend Graversen revealed Midtjylland’s next aim when they identify transfer targets is to quantify the seemingly unquantifiable: the person behind the player.

“It’s so important that you have all the stats about the player, the impact of the player, you know the league that he plays in, you know the team that he plays in – so you know all the football part of the player. But it is still very, very important to find out in a more smart, better way the personality about the player,” Graversen said. “Would his personality succeed in our club? This is what we are looking into.”

It’s the element of football recruitment that’s always presented the biggest risk. A club could buy one of the most coveted players on the planet, but does it know for certain that he’ll respond to the first team’s training drills? Will he get homesick? Will he cower in a fiercely competitive dressing room? Could a significant pay increase lead to off-pitch distractions?

If Midtjylland can reduce that risk with a new statistical breakthrough, they’ll glean a competitive edge over every other club in the transfer market. The process has already begun with assessing their own players’ journeys.

“When you track the culture in the club, when you know the people who succeed in the club – you know their background, their personalities, their learning style, how they interact with the way we’re teaching within our club,” Graversen said. “When we know this, this could be put to the player that we are signing before we are signing him to see, does this player fit in this profile? Who does he look like?”

He added: “I think in the next 10 years, this will come into football. This is what we’re trying now to make a difference. It would be a huge advantage.”